Game card



(No Model.) 2 Shee1 ;s- Sheet 1.

F. 1). OWEN.

GAME CARD. No. 34/],192; Patented Aug. 10, 1886.

N PETERS. Fholo-L'rlhognpller. Washinglon. D.C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. OWEN.

GAME CARD:

Patented Aug. 10, 1886.

No. 347,192. v

VVz'tne sses Inventor N. PEIERS. Pham-uum m uen Washlllglom 0.0. I

UNITED, STATES PATENT Prion.

FREDERICK D. OVVEROF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GAME-CARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,192, dated August 10, 1886.

Application filed June 2-2, 1885. Serial No. 169,418. (No model.)

. ing to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This inventionrelates to that class of gamecards and playing-cards having two parallel straight edges.

Game-cards and playing-cards now in common use are maderectangular in form, the lines of the side edges being at right angles to the lines of the end edges, so that a right line drawn through the centerof one of the edges would pass through the center of the card. In consequence of this construction, when two or more cards are placed together, either in their proper position or faced, the edges of the several cards would be flush, and the pack must be spread like a fan to expose a portion of the face or back of each card to the dealer in order to detect the facing 7 of the cards. A further objection to game-cards and playing-cards now in common use is that in assembling the cards into a pack preparatory to dealing a part of the cards will fall and rest upon their side or long edges, While the balance of the cards of the'pack will fall and rest upon their end or short edges. These characteristics result in delay and annoyance in dealing and playing.

The object of my invention is to overcome the objections here noted; and to this end the invention consists in making game-cards and playing-cards in the form of a rhomboid or parallelogram, (not a rectangle,) the end and side edges of which are at other than right angles, so that a right line drawn across any one of the edges midway of its length would. pass to one side of a median line drawn through the center of the card parallel to the edges, thus overbalancing the card to one side of said right line when the card is resting on said edge.

For a full understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated several modifications of form based upon a parallelo gram as a type, or differing from the ordinary rectangular form of card by having one pair of diagonally-opposite corners extended lengthwise of the card.

Figure 1 represents a card of the parallelo gram type, showing the acute and obtuse corner rounded for convenience; also illustrating how the card must of necessity strike. to one side of the center andfall to one side, which aids materially in shuffling. Fig. 2 represents a packet cards of the parallelogram type, shown in perspective; also how one or more of said shaped cards can be detected when differently placed from the others or faced. Fig. 3 represents the principle of the cards falling and striking to one side of the center and arranging themselves all one way. 4 illustrates a card of the same order, but with acute and obtuse corners of different arcs. Fig. 5 represents a card whose corners differ, but when one pair are made by arcs of two curves. Fig. 6 represents a card with circular and elliptical corners. Fig. 7 represents a card with sharp or truncated corners. Fig. Srepresents a card with more than four corners, all of which are to one side of the center of the card.

In these figures, A refers to the long or side edges; B, to the end edges; 0, to the center of the card, or, in other words, to the point where a line drawn midway between and parallel to the end edges of the card would cross a similar line drawn midway between and parallel to the side edges thereof; a, to a right line drawn through one of the side edges, A, midway the corners, and b to a similar line drawn through the end edge.

The form or outline of cards made in accordance with my invention is based upon a rhomboid or parallelogram, or, in other words, differs from the rectangular form of card by having one pair of diagonally opposite cor- 11ers cut or rounded off more than the other pair, and the main feature thereof consists in the parallel side edges meeting the end edges in acute and obtuse angles, or other than right angles, thereby overbalanciug the cards in one direction.

Cards of the rectangular form generally fall, when arrangement is desired after a game Fig.

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or deal, in every possible direction, and time and patience are lost in assembling the cards into a pack for dealing. Cards formed in accordance with my invention, although differing in general shape from those in common use, contain about the same area, the difference being chiefly in the angles that the respective sides or edges form with each other, which is really any angle other than a right angle. This form of card has been found to possess other advantages as well as aiding in the shufiiing and arrangement. The cards when held in a pack fit the hand more naturally, and are therefore much more easy to distribute. They will also receive any embellishment as to color,value of suits, &c., but more especially the small valuation of each card and suit, which fits and fills well theacute corners of each card. This form of card prohibits without notice one or more cards from getting placed in a pack in any other way but facing one and the same way by the acute corner being thrown to the opposite side, where it is detected at once by its angular shape. This will be seen by referring to the drawings, Fig. 2.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact shape of the cards, as many immaterial variatious may be made therein without departing from the principle of my invention,which is primarily a card so shaped that in assembling a number of them they will, upon striking the table or other surface upon which a game is being played, all tend to turn or fall in one direction and assume a position on their long edges, and, second, a card so shaped that when a number are assembled in a pack the facing of one or more cards will be at once detected, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct cards in the form of an ellipse, and this I do not claim, as it differs from my invention in that the card so formed is not overbalanced.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game or playing card having the contour of a parallelogram with the corner angles at other than ninety degrees, (90,)substantially as described.

2. Game or playing cards differing from the ordinary rectangular type by having the ends extended at diagonally-opposite corners, and forming at the corners of the card acute and obtuse angles, whereby the area of the extension at either end of the card is greater on one side of a major axial line than on the other, substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereofI afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK D. O\VEN.

Vitnesses:

DE B. RANDoLrH K nnr, D. A. DEN1soN.' 

